The grand parade is April 21 this year. I missed it last year, so I'm hoping to go back this year! I also haven't been in the parade itself in ages, just performing at the talent show instead, so that might be nice for 2013.

You can sign up for the anime costume section & contest of the parade at Japan Video at San Francisco's Japantown, though I don't know if they've started taking entrants yet or not! Anyone know?

The plan is to attend and probably walk, as I am "retired", as it were. Not sure yet what I want to wear. Maybe I'll just be lazy and pull Oscar back out, unless it's wretchedly hot. Hot + Oscar's wool coat = Dany ded on the street from heat exhaustion. ><

I attend every year as an on looker since I am from the bay. This year I will be doing a really simple Rocket Grunt for fun. Same as my icon right now. My advice to anyone who hasn't gone, bring a water bottle, you'll need it. Even if it turns out to be cold outside, once you get into the mall area it's death!

You can only sign up for the parade this year. No contest sadly... the manager isn't even sure they can get a float this year. They're doing a raffle instead, and giving all participants a raffle ticket. There will also be a fashion show after the parade for those who are interested/are selected.

You can only sign up for the parade this year. No contest sadly... the manager isn't even sure they can get a float this year. They're doing a raffle instead, and giving all participants a raffle ticket. There will also be a fashion show after the parade for those who are interested/are selected.

__________________
"This is your job. You want a clear conscience, go start a charity. But if you want your own photography business, and your cosplayer boss says you gotta go out there and take a photo-shoot, go out there, take it, come back to work, and say "DO YOU NEED ME TO DO IT AGAIN?!!"

I don't get why no float = no contest, if that's the reasoning. There was a contest for years before the float was added. Oh well.

I'm guessing it's because Japan Video figured if they couldn't get a float/floats it would be pretty difficult for the winners to walk from Civic Center all the way to Japan Center when the years before they'd get to ride on the float and wave to the people. Riding on the float was the incentive that made cosplayers step-up their game each year and try their best to win a spot, and have fun overall.

Mecha, Kamen Rider/Power Rangers, giant mascot/plushie costumes, costumes involving giant props/weapons, etc. are examples of costumes that probably wouldn't be able to do the long walk in-costume.

But yeah.. oh well.

__________________
"This is your job. You want a clear conscience, go start a charity. But if you want your own photography business, and your cosplayer boss says you gotta go out there and take a photo-shoot, go out there, take it, come back to work, and say "DO YOU NEED ME TO DO IT AGAIN?!!"

I feel like that's silly though. I know some great costumes have won before, but entering something crazy assuming you'll win so you won't have to walk is kinda... It just rubs me the wrong way.

I never understood why people would enter things that would not allow for walking if it came to it. Too much risk, not enough guarantee that you would not be left having to figure out what to do, or skipping the parade entirely due to sheer lack of ability to make the trip.

But that is just my opinion, of course. And ya know what they say about those XD

I do know that some cosplayers in the past have shown up at the Civic Center in-costume, posed for pictures, and then headed back to Japantown w/o walking in the parade. While I'm not-sure if they entered the costume-contest or not, I know they didn't walk in the parade because I always walk the parade route and take pictures.

I'm looking forward this year to the CBFP regardless of the removal of the costume-contest and the float(s.)

__________________
"This is your job. You want a clear conscience, go start a charity. But if you want your own photography business, and your cosplayer boss says you gotta go out there and take a photo-shoot, go out there, take it, come back to work, and say "DO YOU NEED ME TO DO IT AGAIN?!!"